With the constant threat of roadside IEDs, ensuring that soldiers are safe within the vehicles they are travelling in is paramount.

Stratos Seating is doing that exactly with its second generation of attenuated, mine blast resistant, driver and crew seats.

“At Stratos we are continuing to develop products that will ensure the safety of our troops,” said Stratos defence advisor Gordon Lewis.

“We developed the second generation of seating when we saw that improvements could be made on the first generation (currently fitted to the ‘off the production line’ Australian Bushmasters).”

“When Defence became aware of the second generation seat, we were asked to fast track testing and production so they could be included in the recent upgrade to Australian Bushmasters in Afghanistan.”

The Generation 2 seat is an elegant and economical design that can be easily adapted to a wide range of vehicles. They are ideal for floor mounted applications which require effective blast mitigation with limited available vertical movement.

Author: David Jones

On Friday 23 September, three soldiers from Mentoring Task Force – Three (MTF-3) were wounded when their Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle (PMV) struck an IED during a partnered Mentoring Task Force – Three (MTF-3) and Afghan National Army (ANA) resupply mission in the Karmisan Valley.

Director of Health, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Group Captain Karen Leshinskas said the three wounded soldiers received immediate first aid and were evacuated by helicopter to the Role 2 Medical Facility in Tarin Kot.

The head of the six-man upgrade team that deployed to the MEAO earlier this year, Maj Eugene Tinning, Land Systems Division, said the damaged Bushmaster would provide valuable data on the effectiveness of the current upgrade as well as informing future improvements.

“We are continually evaluating what improvements can be made to make it safer for the guys to operate with,” Maj Tinning said.

Upgrade team member WO1 Simon Danger said the upgrade provided an increased level of force protection for soldiers operating with Bushmasters.

September 15, 2011 12:00AM

It was Tuesday, September 6, and the Australian mentoring and combat teams from Charlie Company of the 2nd Battalion had been in contact with the enemy on and off for two days.